1. Field of the Invention (Technical Field)
The present invention relates to building construction apparatus, particularly tools and devices for installing fascia upon commercial or residential buildings, and specifically relates to an apparatus for temporarily holding finish fascia in place upon subfascia during permanent installation.
2. Background Art
Previously issued patents that serve as background in the field of the present invention include U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,189 to Fleck, U.S. Pat. No. 5,192,059 to Silver, U.S. Pat. No. 5,785,306 to Wilson, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,314,429 to Casteel, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,158,455 to Brown, U.S. Pat. No. 5,088,682 to Gibbs, U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,517 to Vossler, and U.S. Pat. No. 2,686,960 to Roy. However, previous attempts have been directed principally to the installation of subfascia rather than finish fascia, and have done little or nothing to enable the user to adjust the tool to accommodate fascia of differing heights or thicknesses.
The present invention relates to an apparatus for temporarily, but securely, holding fascia, especially finish fascia, in proper position upon a structure while the user effectuates the permanent fixture of the fascia in place. Once the fascia is permanently installed, the apparatus may then be released for re-use at a different location.
Thus, there is provided a portable apparatus for supporting and maintaining fascia in proper position during installation upon the exterior of a building, such as a residential dwelling. A forked eave member is temporarily attached to the eave of the building. A cross member is connected to the forked eave member. The vertical position of the cross member, relative to the eave member, is adjustable and temporarily fixable. A support member, upon which the fascia rests and is supported, is connectable to the cross member. The horizontal position of the support member, relative to the cross member, is adjustable and temporarily fixable. By selectively adjusting the horizontal position of the support member, and by selectively adjusting the vertical position of the cross member to which the support member is connected, the position of the support member, and thus the fascia, is precisely adjustable along two axes (vertical and horizontal). The apparatus thus permits the fascia to be held temporarily in proper place while the user permanently installs the fascia to the building.
The apparatus includes three principal parts, and several minor elements A vertical inverted forked eave member is temporarily secured to the underside of the eave, as by screwing the base of the eave member to the outer eave board or to the soffit. A horizontal cross member is attached to the at least one, preferably two legs of the inverted eave member, by inserting removable keeper pins through aligned holes in the horizontal cross member and the one or two legs of the inverted eave member. Various pairs of holes are alignable, so that the vertical position of the horizontal cross member is adjustable in relation to the vertical eave member. A third vertical support member is attachable to the horizontal cross member, also by using keeper pins insertable into aligned holes in the cross member and the vertical support member. Various pairs of holes are alignable, so that the horizontal position of the support member is adjustable in relation to both the horizontal cross member and the inverted forked member.
According to the invention, there is provided a portable apparatus for installing fascia upon a building having a roof and an eave, the eave having a subfascia, the apparatus comprising a forked member removably attachable to the eave, the member having two downwardly extending legs; a cross member connectable to the legs of the forked member, the cross member adjustably movable vertically in relation to the forked member; a vertical support member connectable to the cross member and slidably adjustable horizontally in relation to the cross member, the support member comprising surfaces for receiving and supporting the fascia in an installation position; means for selectively temporarily fixing the vertical position of the cross member in relation to the forked member; and means for selectively temporarily fixing the horizontal position of the support member in relation to the cross member. In the preferred embodiment, the forked member comprises a base defining therein a slotted hole for receiving an attachment screw.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the cross member comprises a pair of extending hooked arms, each arm defining an interior vertical channel for receiving, in slidable engagement, a corresponding one of the legs, wherein the slidable engagement of the legs in the vertical channels prevents horizontal movement of the cross member in relation to the forked member. Further, the vertical support member preferably defines an opening for receiving, in slidable horizontal inserted engagement, the cross member, wherein the slidable engagement of the cross member into the opening prevents vertical movement of the support member in relation to the cross member. The preferred means for selectively temporarily fixing the vertical position of the cross member in relation to the forked member comprises at least one vertical adjustment hole defined in each of two opposing sides of the cross member; a plurality of adjustment holes defined in the legs of the forked member, the holes selectively alignable with the vertical adjustment holes in the sides of the cross member; and a pair of keeper pins removably insertable in selectively aligned pairs of the adjustment holes. Similarly, the preferred means for selectively temporarily fixing the horizontal position of the support member in relation to the cross member comprises: a plurality of horizontal adjustment holes defined in each of two opposing sides of the cross member; at least one adjustment hole defined in each of two opposing sides of the support member, the holes selectively alignable with the horizontal adjustment holes in the sides of the cross member; and a pair of keeper pins removably insertable in selectively aligned pairs of the adjustment holes.
A primary object of the present invention is to provide a simple, inexpensively manufactured apparatus for use in building construction, to temporarily hold finish fascia in place upon subfascia during installation.
A primary advantage of the present invention is that it permits horizontal as well as vertical adjustment, thereby permitting the use of the apparatus with fascia of different thicknesses.
Another advantage of the invention is that the apparatus of the invention is easily manipulated and used, and may be used by a single person in operation to hang lengthy sections of fascia.
Other objects, advantages and novel features, and further scope of applicability of the present invention will be set forth in part in the detailed description to follow, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following, or may be learned by practice of the invention.